Wednesday in Hawkville

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It, of course, is the Seahawks’ 21-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL after the 2005 season. “Revenge,” “retribution” and “payback” are being thrown around this week because the Seahawks play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Those vindictive words, however, are coming from reporters and fans. Not the Seahawks coaches and players.

“We’ve kind of put that game behind us,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said after practice. “It happened. They won the game. They were World Champs.”

He then cracked a smile before adding, “I think our ring looks better than theirs.”

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Brian Russell. It seemed only fitting that the team’s free safety would come up with a Pro Bowl-caliber practice, because earlier in the day Steelers coach Mike Tomlin mentioned every member of the starting secondary and just about everyone in the starting lineup while signing the praises of the Seahawks defense.

Everyone, that is, except Russell.

All Russell did in his post-snub practice was read, sit on and then jump a deep route to make an interception; break up another deep pass; and then, on back-to-back plays, interception another pass and step up to thump the ball carrier as he came through the line.

POSITION WATCH
Deep snapper. This spot normally draws minimal – if any – attention. Not Wednesday. Not after the team signed Jared Retkofsky to its practice squad Tuesday.

Retkofsky’s arrival coincides with Derek Rackley having a poor afternoon snapping in Sunday’s win at San Francisco.

“We’re going to look at it,” coach Mike Holmgren said when asked if the situation was an open competition. “We’re going to simulate as much as we can a game atmosphere and see how this young guy does.”

From Holmgren’s lips to the practice field, where Retkofsky and Rackley alternated snapping for Josh Brown’s series of field goal attempts. There did not appear to be much difference between the two.